Top Chef

[FiggyPudding]

When you guys mention unedited portions of the show or bonus video, is that available on the Bravo website? The last time I looked, I couldn't find anything like that.

I go under 'videos' in the orange banner under the group photo, then click on each episode number. Usually a few bonus videos will be listed. Sometimes it's just the judges, a recipe demo, and an episode promo, but there's also some good stuff like the unedited snackmaster challenge.

[LurkerNan]

Dave got screwed, no two ways about it, and now I understand his anger at the reunion show. Regardless of whether he completed that last dish, the most he should have been penalized it by not getting credit if he had won that part of the challenge, which he did not anyway. So it still should have been Harold wins two, Dave wins one, and Tiffany goes the hell home.

Did you catch how she tried to say that her fried finger feed was educating the poker players to a higher level of eating? Bitch, please... you got OWNed by the short gay dude in the corner, so go sling that somewhere else.

Ugh. So pissed am I. But last night I realized that Dave Martin lives in Long Beach, CA, which happens to be where I live. So now I have to search out where he's working and go tell him he got robbed personally. And eat some of his yummy cooking.

[kafka]

lurkernan said:

But last night I realized that Dave Martin lives in Long Beach, CA, which happens to be where I live. So now I have to search out where he's working and go tell him he got robbed personally. And eat some of his yummy cooking.

If you do, tell him he has a group of supporters on a message board named after a fake Greek Princess. ;D

Do you guys really think the reunion show was done after the final result? I realise careful editing could create a misleading picture but they did take out the Final 3 and ask the booted contestants whom they'd like to see win the final challenge.

Tom C's blog about last night's show was interesting because it said that 4 months had passed since the Napa show. That's another fact which makes me think the Reunion Show could have been done in the space of those 4 months.

Tom C. also said this:

As Harold, Tiffani and Dave prepared to undergo our grueling Quickfire/Elimination challenge, we gave them ten minutes to familiarize themselves with the equipment, supplies and ingredients. For additional clarity, a representative of Bravo appeared, as they always do (off camera) to reread the challenge and answer questions so that there could be no room for misunderstanding. "

That last part may be why Dave couldn't pretend he'd started a 3rd dish. That and the fact that the camera tape would clearly show he'd only cooked two.

About the final decision favouring Tiffani, he said this:

So while Tiffani didn't win any of the challenges, she came in a solid second on all three. Harold won two. Dave won one and lost two. Frankly, his win at the snack challenge wasn't dazzling enough to make us overlook his mistake in the final challenge.

I saw this blunder as the equivalent of only feeding two out of three guests at a table. Even if the other two get great food, the mistake would leave the entire party with a bad impression, and there's a good chance none of them would be coming back to the restaurant. And I'm not sure Dave's explanation, "I made a mistake," would hold water.

Total garbage, imo. Cobbled-up excuse done to justify the result which Bravo wanted.

[topher]

Tif's food to the poker players and the circus performers did not go over well. How can he claim she came in second for all three?

[kafka]

topher said:

Tif's food to the poker players and the circus performers did not go over well. How can he claim she came in second for all three?

Because he's hugely biased and even indirectly referred to it on his blog. To wit,

I know I've been critical of Dave in my past blogs, so I think it's important that I visit the flip side of the coin. Dave came to cooking late, as a second career, and he's been at it for less time than many of his competitors. Going for it, despite this, was Dave's way of honoring his passion, and I respect that wholeheartedly. Dave has a big heart to match his big flavors, and it has won him friends and fans. If his success in Top Chef is any indication, Dave will continue to go far.

"Flip side" is his way of trying to be gracious after the fact and to cover his ass in terms of seeming biased. Even from the beginning of the blog for that episode, he picked on Dave. Not to mention his food, which he is *always* criticizing.

Dave rushed to and fro in his usual frenetic way. The food that went up to the "High Rollers" was pretty good. Tiffani and Harold both featured dishes of raw, quick-marinated fish, which made sense given that high-rollers are likely to be familiar with sushi or crudo and it can make a fast and elegant cold course. I didn't care much for the bits of herbs haphazardly garnishing Harold's Mussel and Smoked Paprika soup, but overall the flavors and execution were good. Tiffani's cold dish needed acid, and both her dishes were under-seasoned. Dave served his shrimp shell-on – which is fine for a casual sea-food joint, but felt wrong in this setting. His grilled Opa with Cinnamon Rub was also under-seasoned, and his knife skills were tepid – the fish, poorly cut, fell apart into unattractive chunks on the plate. Both plates were finished with edible pansies (big in the '80's), rather than a garnish that added something to the dish.

So '80s? Meeeeeeeeeow!

And another part,

As for where they were emotionally since we wrapped our exhausting round of challenges in San Francisco...for one thing, they were much better rested! Harold was his usual mellow, unpretentious self. Tiffani seemed to have gained something from the experience of seeing herself on TV. She described the experience as a 'wake-up call,' and while I think she wanted to win as much as ever, she seemed to have a new awareness about getting along with others. Tiffani clearly wanted to bury the hatchet with Dave, but he wasn't having it. It seemed as though, even months later, Dave was nurturing his little nugget of anger towards her and was loathe to give it up.

Excuse me, Tom, but maybe Dave wasn't "nurturing" his nugget so much as he just saw through Tiffani, disliked her as a person, and wasn't so fake or a hypocrite to pretend otherwise.

Nurturing his nugget indeed. Sheesh.

[FiggyPudding]

Tiffany's bit about getting a 'wake up call' was the least convincing statement I've ever heard. I'll believe it when I see it.

Still love Harold. In all his messy, slouchy, laid back glory.

[LurkerNan]

I love Harold too, but WTF was he wearing when he showed up in Vegas? Who throws a blazer over an oversized v-neck t-shirt that looks like it's been slept in? He lost hottie points right there from me for that.

Tom C. has proven to me that he's as much of a foodie snob as Stephan. So Dave started cooking late, what does that have to do with anything? He's trying to find reasons to fault Dave because he doesn't like Dave's fast-paced style in the kitchen, and that's totally subjective and bogus. I don't respect him anymore either.

[Deleted]

topher said:

Tif's food to the poker players and the circus performers did not go over well. How can he claim she came in second for all three?

EXACTLY.

She was NOT solid on any of them.

[Deleted]

Who won?

[Deleted]

Ugh. So pissed am I. But last night I realized that Dave Martin lives in Long Beach, CA, which happens to be where I live. So now I have to search out where he's working and go tell him he got robbed personally. And eat some of his yummy cooking.

If you find him, tell him I adore him!

Dave totally came in second last night and Bravo can spin whatever shit they want to support their version of the "truth"–but there's no way they were ever going to let "someone like" Dave be in the finals. His "pedigree" was apparently not snobbish enough for Tom C—a guy who basically operates an upscale version of Subway. Dick. I hope they ax him from S2.

The show was total bullshit last night. ARGH!!! Harold—you better win it dude and leave old helium pumpkin head to stew in her overly salted juices.